Unique history lessons teach both sides of the story through worldwide charity launched in Lancaster
A unique way of teaching controversial history pioneered in Lancaster has since spread to more than a thousand schools across the UK and a further 400 worldwide.
Parallel Histories is an educational charity founded by Michael Davies, who trained at St Martin’s College before teaching history at Lancaster Royal Grammar School from 2000-2018. He died last summer, aged 65.
His former colleague, Hugh Castle, is now director of education at the charity, after teaching at LRGS for more than 30 years, 22 as head of history.
It’s just over a decade since the pair took LRGS pupils on a school trip to Israel and the West Bank – a visit which inspired Mr Davies to write an article for The Guardian arguing that contentious history shouldn’t be ignored but be taught in a ‘dual narrative’ approach to fully understand why conflicts endure.
The article led hi-fi retailer and philanthropist Julian Richer to contact Mr Davies to support his vision and together they launched Parallel Histories in 2018.
Parallel Histories help teachers and students engage in evidence-led investigations and debate of controversial histories by providing resources online to use in the classroom and at home.
Pupils are taught how to think, not what to think.
The dual narrative approach tells each side of an historical controversy, first from one position and then from the other, teaching students how to challenge preconceptions and question historical claims.
“Parallel Histories is unique,” said Mr Castle. “Most of the topics we cover have disappeared from the curriculum but they are what pupils want to talk about.”
“Michael was quite prescient in understanding that young people were going to find out about controversial histories from somewhere and that vacuum was being filled by social media. Parallel Histories is a way of getting controversial histories back into the classroom.”
On Tuesday, Parallel Histories held a day of debates at LRGS covering issues including the history of the civil rights movement in America.
One hundred pupils aged from 13 to 17 from seven schools in Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton and Motherwell as well as LRGS took part.
Schools in 79 countries now use Parallel Histories which enables students to debate with each other worldwide. Just two weeks ago, a Preston school was discussing the subject of empire with pupils in Uganda.
Parallel Histories has brought together Catholic and Protestant students to debate the Troubles in Stormont.
It is now being rolled out in America to teach the history of the civil rights movement.
The charity operates remotely with a staff of five including Mr Castle, who is still Lancaster-based.
Former Labour government minister Bill Rammell has succeeded Mr Davies as chief executive.